File:KarenAnnQuinlan.jpg

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KarenAnnQuinlan.jpg(259 × 385 pixels, file size: 20 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)

Karen Ann Quinlan — high school graduation photo, 1972. Taken by "Ackerman's Photo Studio."



This image is the "iconic" photograph of Karen Ann Quinlan that can be found everywhere - i.e. books, magazines, newspaper articles, web sites, and so on. It is genuinely ubiquitous throughout the mass media, and counts as a reasonably famous photograph of a historically significant individual.

Photograph is a portrait of Quinlan taken before her brain damage occurred.

I have emailed Karen Ann Quinlan's mother (the presumed copyright holder for this image) two times asking her about making the image free, but she has not replied to those emails. I don't want to harass her about the issue. Unless I hear back from her, I am assuming this image can be displayed under the fair use doctrine, as outlined below.

I believe this image constitutes fair use because:

  • There is no other comparable image available;
  • It is a famous, ubiquitous photograph of Karen Ann Quinlan;
  • Photo has been widely published in many media;
  • Photo is encyclopedic and meets general Wikipedia content requirements;
  • Photo will be used in the article Karen Ann Quinlan;
  • Photo will contribute significantly to that article and will not serve a purely decorative purpose;
  • The photo is only being used for informational/educational purposes.

Image uploaded by FP (talk)(edits).

User:Quadell asserts that the limited use of this copyrighted image in Wikipedia articles directly pertaining to it is a fair use of the image, for the following reasons:

  • It depicts a deceased person. Therefore no new images of the subject can be created.
  • No free-license alternatives are available that convey the same information.
  • The image is no larger, and of no higher quality, than required for its use in articles.
  • It is used in Wikipedia only for educational purposes and is not used for profit.
  • Its use on Wikipedia does not compete with the copyright holder.
  • Its use on Wikipedia is not expected to decrease the value of the copyright to its holder.

File history

Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time.

Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current00:10, 8 July 2017Thumbnail for version as of 00:10, 8 July 2017259 × 385 (20 KB)DatBot (talk | contribs)Reduce size of non-free image (BOT - disable)
06:54, 28 October 2006No thumbnail392 × 583 (92 KB)FirstPrinciples (talk | contribs){{Fair use in|Karen Ann Quinlan}}
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